firefly_1965
Hi Guys,
Thought i would give you all an update on my 851 which i bought about five months ago and now using as my every day transport. My last 851 which i sold with 72,000 miles on the clock was used regularly also, and i have every intention of doing the same with this baby.
Since i got it running thanks to Andy Pocock, has now been my regular form of two wheeled transport and has so far been great, just fill it with Shell's finest and away we go. I have done 900 miles during the last four weeks, most of that has been commuting into London and down to Hampshire.........i'm a painter/decorater and the old girl even has side bags to carry my material. I know some may say she's too good for that, but needs must and its the only bike i have at the moment................somebody on another forum referred to this forum as a bunch of 'trumpet polishers', heres to prove them wrong.........its me painting in South London
Regards
griff851
Trumpet polishers! From a well looked after instrument you get beautiful music. Thank him for the comment for me.😁
Griff
firefly_1965
This polished trumpet sure makes the modern japanese and Italian riders in London prick up their ears when they hear me coming and slice past them and leave them in my wake, they cant bear to look at me at the lights..........i'm sure their looking at the plate and thinking "but that bikes nearly 20 yrs old and he has overtaken me thru the London traffic"............i love it.
italian888
they might be polished, but they still melt rubber.
andypocock
Well done Inda. Great to see her out and about. It will do her more good to be used than sat in a damp shed like she had been for the last few years.
Now buy some boots. I'm not so good with smashed up ankles 😯
Andy
duc904red
good show that man have been remarked upon for using my 888 too much and wearing it out Steve
firefly_1965
Thanks for all the comments guys, i'm just not one of those people who park something up and just polish it, trust me, no matter what bike i owned it would get used..............my last 851 made two trips to the South of France and three to Scotland. Even if i had a SP3/4 i would put some serious mileage on it. I cant quite compete with Steve R's round trip of 600 miles.......fair play Steve R.
As for the boots.............i agree Andy, there is only so much Dr Pocock can do. I'm riding down to Alton/Hants on Thursday andy, how far are you from there? Might as well put a few miles on her, before the weather really turns
Inda
andypocock
Hi Inda
I'm only about 30 miles from Alton. I'm not sure what my movements are yet but do give me a call and see if I'm about. It would be good to see you.
Andy
Mr.R
No fair play to you Inda not only have you rescued the old girl but you're actually using her!
I love to see these bikes used, my trip to London and back last weekend went well, the motor (as usual) didn't miss a beat, it was bloody cold on the return journey though!
This summer (since early May) I've covered another 6,000 miles on my 851/916, she's just shy of 40,000 now*, apart from regular maintainance oil/filter changes etc the only other work was when the chain snapped (It had covered around 7,000 miles**, I've found that they only last around 6,000 miles, probably something to do with the way I ride the old nail?) and yet another reg/rec gave up the ghost.
*Another oil change coming up in the next week or so, I change the oil every 2,000 miles and the filter every 2nd oil change.
** It still had lots of adjustment and didn't need adjusting after every ride.
Steve R
firefly_1965
Thanks Steve,
When i read on the forum that you were coming up on Sunday i did plan on riding over to Brick lane and having a beer with you, but i just couldnt make it i'm afraid. Anyway, hope you had a good day in the big smoke, maybe we will meet one day.......probably next yr now.
Yes i agree, the old girl really was ready for the scrap heap, the pictures make her look better than she is, lots of surface rust. But, the engine really is tight as nut and gearbox too, not like my last high mileage 851 which was beginning to feel really sloppy.
Cheers for now
Mr.R
No problem Inda maybe on my next trip up to the smoke,
I did think of you as I passed the signs to Slough, I could actually smell the place before I got there, what is that smell?
But I did meet up with 'Micky T' and his son 'FE' from the Ducati forums along with a lot of very old mates down at the 'Anchor' my spriitual homeland...
Some folk go to Lourdes others head for Mecca etc.
I head for the 'Anchor' to share time with the 'Philosophisers' 😉 down by the River Lea over looking the East London Marsh land...
If heaven/Paradise really is a place on Earth, it's the 'Anchor' on a Sunday afternoon spent with good company IMO.
It doesn't matter where you come from, what foot you kick with, whatever colour you are, who you fancy, which God you may follow...
If you've got the entrance fee, (a pint of bear or a spliff) and are 'Up for the Craic' you're in!
On a good Sunday afternoon it's the 'Only' place to be, I 1st discovered the Anchor well over 30 years ago, it's one of London's best kept secrets that the tourists rarely find.
Steve R
firefly_1965
Steve,
I will pop over one day for a pint at the Anchor...........that smell as you pass Slough is the Mars factory...........the chocolate variety.
Inda
